Engaged in Boredom
by Cristian Alicea
Summary: Sansa and Tyrion are dragged into attending Joffrey and Margaery's engagement party, what could possibly go wrong?


Engaged in Boredom

"Sansa, come on, you have to come! You're my best friend, you have to be there!" Margaery Tyrell wailed as she struggled to get into said woman's apartment. When Margaery arrived minutes prior to announce to her best friend that she was engaged and to invite her to the engagement party she expected her friend to be happy, ecstatic, actually. What she did not expect was for Sansa to pale visibly before shouting a negative before promptly trying to close the door with her still in the doorway.

"Margaery, I can't… you know I don't approve… of… you two dating, much less… getting married!" Sansa struggled to get out between shoves to the door. Seeing that this was a lost cause she huffed before easing up on the door and letting her friend into the apartment.

Margaery stepped into the apartment tucking a few strands of her now blonde hair behind her ear, something that changed three months into her relationship with Joffrey Baratheon. When Sansa first saw her best friend sporting golden locks she was horrified, not that she looked bad, Margaery always looked perfect, no, she was instantly reminded of Cersei Lannister. Margaery merely shrugged and said 'Joff thought it would look nice' at the time Sansa nodded dumbly and the subject was dropped.

After catching her breath, Margaery straitened and crossed her arms in the middle of the living room. "Are you ready to stop being childish?" she questioned, annoyed at their little bout. To all who knew Sansa Stark, really knew her, knew that she was not a violent person but at this she seethed.

After all that this young woman has been through the one thing she hated more than the people responsible for her pain was her own childishness that led to said pain. Ever since Sansa's breakup with Joffrey she vowed to never be childish, to never let someone hold that power over her again and if you asked her she was doing a pretty good job at it. She got a job at a local café that paid enough for her to move out of her parent's house, much to her mother's dismay, and into the rundown apartment building they were in now. To some it might not be that big a deal but to Sansa it was the first step towards the life she wanted for herself. So for her best friend, who knew what she went through, to say that was beyond frustrating.

Margaery seemed to pick up on Sansa's demeanor and softened. "I'm sorry Sansa, I shouldn't have said that." The older woman walked up to her friend and led to the couch, never letting go of her hands they sat there for a few minutes as Sansa cooled off. Finally Margaery broke the silence. "I know you don't like Joffrey but he's different now-" at this Sansa scoffed, not caring if it was unladylike. Margaery smiled softly and continued. "And he makes me happy, and it would mean so much to me if my best friend in the whole world would be there for me. It's bad enough that I have to deal with his awful mother every other time, don't make me go through with her constant glowering by myself." As she finished off she nudged the younger woman with her knee coaxing a small smile from her.

"She does mess up her beauty with those scowls of hers doesn't she?" Sansa mused before pausing, rolling her eyes, and sighing. "Alright, but I don't want to talk to anyone, and don't expect a speech, at the party or the wedding, I'm assuming I am the maid of honor?" Margaery nodded before she squealed and hugged her friend.

Tyrion arrived at Lannister manor from his weekly library stop to servants scrambling around. 'Another party… at least that is what it will look like at face value.' He mused. About halfway up the stairs he was stopped by the grating voice of his least favorite nephew.

"Ah, Uncle, you have arrived!" Joffrey greeted in an overly cheerful tone. As Tyrion turned around Joffrey made his way up the stairs to meet his uncle. "Well? Aren't you going to congratulate me?" He asked expectantly a little less cheerful. At his uncles bored but questioning expression he explained. "I have wonderful news I am engaged to my beautiful girlfriend!"

"I see…" Tyrion responded. He never got along with his oldest nephew; the viscous little bastard was corrupted by his mother to share her hate of the little man. Thank God Myrcella and Tommen came out like their father, even with their mother's claws in them. But that was a dark family secret, he knew of course, Jaime puts up a good façade of the caring but distant uncle but the gleam of fatherly love in his eyes whenever he is around Tommen and especially around Myrcella did not go unnoticed by his brother. It was sick by society's standards but Tyrion couldn't fault his brother, for he was the only person to truly love him in this dysfunctional family until the aforementioned children came to be. That didn't stop him from biasedly faulting his sister though, it wasn't fair he knew, they were both to blame, but then again she was a cunt and Jaime wasn't. It was because of this that Tyrion was now suspicious; they never got long so why was he coming to tell him this news as if they did.

Seeing his uncle's suspicion, or his face hurting from all the cheerful smiling the younger man promptly dropped the act and sneered down at him. "I see? You should be congratulating me you miserable little creature." He paused before smiling again, this time it fit, as it was malicious, and continued. "No, I suspect engagements aren't really your thing. Tell me, how is Tysha doing?" That was it; this was why he came to tell him personally, to gloat.

It wasn't public knowledge, nothing involving the smallest Lannister was; anything good at least, but Tyrion Lannister was engaged at one point. He met Tysha one fateful night as he was leaving the model train shop he worked in at the time, Tommen loved them you see. But that's a story for another time. He was about to cross the street were his custom Moped Jaime had made for him that Christmas was parked when he heard a muffled cry come from a nearby alleyway. Without thinking he went to check it out, two masked men were holding a woman against the wall of the neighboring building and they look like they wanted to rob anything, Tyrion gulped before pulling out his phone and dialing the police. "Hey, assholes I got the cops on the line, you better get out of here!" he shouted hoping that the mention of the authorities would work, after all he wasn't an intimidating sight. It worked, they looked over as he held up the phone for emphasis, and they scrambled down the alleyway away from the woman and her protector. Their relationship was a slow one after that but a year later he proposed she said that she wanted to but had to think about it, with the promise to give him her answer that night over dinner they went separate ways… and he never saw her again. Tywin Lannister was even more ashamed of his youngest and the matter never became public, Tyrion was not surprised that his nephew knew, his mother probably told him it as a bedtime story every night, however, that didn't stop the hurt which led to anger.

He simply walked away from his nephew, not trusting himself on the stairs with the little shit. As uncle reached the top of the stairs and nephew the bottom he called out. "The engagement party is on the 25th, as much as I don't want you there grandfather wishes all Lannisters to be present, even a failure of one such as yourself." Then he walked away towards a commotion in the ballroom.

"Of course he does." Tyrion mumbled to himself as he walked to his quarters. As he entered he noticed a suit on his bed with a note on top.

Tyrion

I don't trust your judgment on what attire is suited for the event, thus I have taken the liberty of purchasing a new suit for you, wear it. And do try to not disappoint the family name.

Tywin

Tyrion rolled his eyes and crumpled the note. Then he grinned as a thought crossed his mind. He walked over to his closet, suit in hand, and threw it to one corner on the ground. "He picks out my clothes as if I am some child, then a child I shall be, I was always the rebellious one wasn't I?" looking around his room he realized he was talking to himself and sheepishly put away his purchased books before continuing his day.

The engagement party was well and truly under way music was playing softly, the campaign was flowing, and the guests were mingling. Sansa was bored out of her mind; she had to arrive early upon Margaery's request so she was forced to endure conversations with Lannisters and Tyrells alike not that she minded the latter all that much she just didn't like being in the lion's den surrounded by thorns. She noticed absent mindedly that all the Lannisters, the important ones at least, where accounted for except for Tyrion Lannister.

At the realization that he probably wasn't invited, nor would he come if he were, there was no love lost between the uncle and nephew, she deflated a little for some unknown reason, no, she knew the reason. They were friends, to a certain extent; he was kind to her when she was under Joffrey's thumb. He stood up for her on several occasions and even stopped arguments before they became beatings. Hell, one time he even stumbled upon a beating and gave Joffrey one of his own, a few weeks after that incident Joffrey announced that he was done with her and promptly threw her to the side, but she couldn't be happier. She was finally free of him.

Sansa was separated from Margaery after her attention was needed elsewhere, understandably, it was her party after all, and Sansa was glad. After her friends prompt exit she finished off her conversation with Renly and Loras and quickly made her way to a wall at the back of the room near the bar. She leaned against the wall and mentally prepared herself for a long, boring night.

"Now what's a respectable girl like you doing in a dump like this?"

Sansa recognized the voice immediately and perked up slightly, how could she not, that voice got her through the days when she was in a relationship with Joffrey, if you could even call it that. She looked to her left and saw her friend, her rock through those perilous months. "Tyrion." She said affectionately. At this his face was pleasantly shocked. Catching herself she turned back to the party hoping her hair covered up the blush that heated her face.

Seeing her embarrassment he slowly leaned against the wall a respectable distance from her but close enough to smell the light perfume she wore. She always smelled flowery with a hint of lemons. They were both silent for a few seconds before he broke the silence.

"I see they dragged you into this as well."

She looked over at him and answered truthfully, there was never any pretense with them. "Yes, but I'm here for Margaery, even though I think she's making a huge mistake." Tyrion nodded in understanding. "What about you? I have a feeling you would rather be anywhere but here right now." He stopped scanning the room and finally looked back at her pointedly when he answered.

"I don't know… it's not so bad from where I'm standing." At this she blushed again and he smiled to himself. "To answer your question though, yes my father decided to make it mandatory for all Lannisters to attend even an embarrassment such as me."

She was going to retort, she never liked his self-deprecation, when she realized he was pointedly looking at someone. She followed his eyes and landed on the Lannister patriarch at the bar who seemed ready to explode into a hot mess of unbridled fury. She was shaken as she looked back at Tyrion who was offering his father a knowing smile. It was then she realized his attire, he was shamelessly underdressed. He wore a green hoodie atop a light grey t-shirt with worn jeans and a pair of converse sneakers. She would have been appalled if it weren't so funny, she simply smiled. When she noticed other guests were looking at the pair, expressions ranging from questioning looks to amused ones she quickly put up a bored face and leaned her head back against the wall.

"So-" Tyrion began when suddenly the crowed parted and a very upset looking Joffrey stalked hurriedly towards them, Margaery hot on his trail looking worried. Tyrion noticed a second after Sansa and unconsciously stood in front of her in a protective manner.

"You little imp, what do you think you're doing?! Dressed like that!" Joffrey spat out.

Tyrion didn't hesitate with his response. "Why, I am here to celebrate your engagement my darling nephew." He turned his attention to Margaery. "Congratulations on the engagement my dear, I wish you nothing but 'happiness' in the future with my nephew, I hear he is quite the catch." Margaery nodded uncomfortably.

Joffrey being annoyed at being ignored and spotting the heavy sarcasm lashed out. "Yes, you would know all about being engaged wouldn't you imp?! And how long did that last before your whore ran for the hills? We all knew it wouldn't last, even Uncle Jaime, who could ever love a deformed creature such as you." Sansa gasped at the filth the young man was spouting but was not surprised. Tyrion remained silent clenching his small fists as he shook with rage as he stared at the rotten fruit of his brother's loins. Margaery was studying the ground, a look of shame on her face. Joffrey's attention now on Sansa sneered and opened his mouth to greet her. The young woman in question steeled herself, ready for whatever he threw her way.

"No." Tyrion finally spoke, cutting the young man off before he could do any damage, his tone sounding very dangerous. "She is no longer yours to torment." The room was silent, people knew of the man's treatment of Sansa, it was obvious, but it wasn't spoken of.

Joffrey looked between his uncle and his ex-girlfriend, who was now standing intimately closer to the former because of the comments made. He smiled maliciously and leaned in close so only the four could hear. "I see you found yourself another whore uncle, tell me, will you propose to this one or have you learned your lesson the first time?" Sansa narrowed her eyes but flushed in embarrassment. Margaery looked livid at the comment. And Joffrey looked smug.

Tywin, suspecting the powder keg that was his youngest son to blow began to move towards the small group as his grandson leaned in. He was too late however when he witnessed his son punch his grandson in the nose affectively flattening the young man as his nose began to bleed profusely. There was an audible gasp that he suspected was his daughter's and a loud 'HA!' that was no doubt from Olenna Tyrell, as he made it to his destination. "Tyrion, I think it's time you left, you have embarrassed yourself enough for one night." He said just low enough for their exchange to be private.

"Don't you mean the family name?" he countered through clenched teeth, still angry at the comment about Sansa.

"Precisely." Tywin said in an icy tone, staring down his son.

Tyrion turned to leave but paused and turn back to address the young woman he couldn't help but admire. "Would you care to join me, my lady? I know of this wonderful ice cream parlor that has the best lemon sorbet?"

Sansa beamed at the offer but pause and glanced at her best friend as if to ask for permission. Margaery gave a defeated nod but had a knowing smirk towards the end. Sansa smiled gratefully and accepted his offered hand.

Once outside the manor he led her to his Moped and paused as she was seated behind him, arms situated around his middle and making sure her dress wouldn't hike up during the ride. "Sansa, I'm truly sorry for his behavior… not only tonight, but… for everything else too." Tyrion said without turning around. She gently squeezed his middle as she whispered in his ear.

"You have nothing to be sorry about; I seem to recall it was with your help that I made it out."

He shrugged slightly. "But it was your strength and your smarts that kept you alive as long as you did. It's what I admire most about you…" He confessed.

Her heart swelled at the man's words and the familiar tingling in her stomach had her on cloud nine. "Enough about Joffrey, let's get on with this date." Sansa announced.

"Oh, it's a date now is it?" Tyrion mused.

"Of course it is." Sansa answered as if it where the most obvious thing in the world.

"Of course it is." He said with the biggest grin on his face as he sped off to their first, of many dates.


End file.
